“We are here,” Malraha said suddenly as they exited from the hall into a large pool room.
Terri froze, trepidation stirring within her. There was a pool there, but it looked different than she recalled. Even more concerning, there was no sign of Dari or any of her mother-kin.
“Malraha, what’s going on? Where are we?”
“The lower pool, of course,” the female replied calmly. “The others are not here yet, but they will be. Come. We will sit on this rock over here by the water and wait.”
“Actually,” Terri said slowly. “I think I’d rather just go back.”
The Argurma’s eyes turned to her, their blue depths hard and chilling.
“Are you afraid, Terri?”
“No,” Terri replied in what she hoped was a convincing tone. “If no one’s here, I would just rather go back to Veral.”
The female’s lips lifted though her expression did not otherwise shift.
“Yes, your loving mate. I am afraid you cannot do that.”
“Why is that?” Terri whispered as she eased back a step.
“Because your time has ceased,” she growled, springing forward.
A cry of surprise escaped Terri, and she brought up her arm, but before she could unleash her symbiont, something sticky encased her entire lower arm. Her head jerked up to face her guard.
Malraha smirked at her and dropped what looked like a mini handheld cannon to the floor. Whatever it was, it had fired a projectile that burst all over her arm. The female stalked toward her. Although Terri stumbled back, she knew damn well that she couldn’t outrun an Argurma hunting her. To even try would be pointless and would put her in the dangerous position of having her back to the female.
“Did you think I would not know your weakness by now, Terri?” Malraha purred with a vicious vibration of her mandibles. “I studied you because you are the key to bringing down the Monushava House. My father tried to do it when Harahna turned her back on him. He waited, drawing out his vengeance, and the moment he recorded her emotional breakdown, he sent it to the council. He was rewarded for it, but it was not enough. One case could not declare the house corrupted. Nor could the absence of her son, who turned to salvaging. They let him go because, while not uncommon, males did leave our planet to pursue careers outside our borders, bringing credits into our economy. That henaxi, Featha… she knew, however. She killed my father with her own hand but took pity on his juvenile daughter. She allowed me to live and then accepted my request for a post at her house as if she were doing me a great favor,” she spat.
Lunging again, Malraha grabbed Terri by the throat, holding her in place as she leaned forward to speak quietly into her ear. Harahna squealed fearfully, her cries echoing in the room as the prick of Malraha’s claws opened tiny wounds, letting blood escape down Terri’s neck into her tunic. She brushed her nose against Terri’s cheek, mandibles widening to better to draw in the scent of Terri’s fear, and breathed in deeply.
“When Veral returned with you, I knew it was my chance. At first, I had planned just to kill you so that Veral would suffer as his mother did. It would have been fitting since my father had alerted the council as to Harahna’s plan so she could not hide her son. He drove her to grief before he in turn reported her disgrace. I would have done as he did, but nothing I tried worked. Not even attempting to get him to take me as his mate so that I would take control of the house upon his seizure and termination.”
“How?” Terri wheezed around the hand, her own fingers helplessly clawing at it.
“Who do you think suggested that Navesha take you to the market? It was easy. I overheard Featha demanding that Veral treat you properly as a mate and take you with him. He looked so close to agreeing, but I could not allow that. I reminded him of his duty and your fragility. When he left to check on our transport, I suggested that she have Navesha take you with her for errands. Setting my would-be assassin in place took only one short comm. I knew that Veral would be too busy with the sudden suspicion he met with triggered by an innocent, concerned, and very anonymous comm message, and the Navesha’s presence would make her the natural choice if anyone suspected that the attack came from within the house.”
Anger stiffened her face, her hand squeezing tighter. Terri just needed to keep her talking and hope that her symbiont could slowly rip its way out of the binding.
“You did not die, and I was forced to go into the market to kill the merchant just to be safe. If only I could somehow separate you and Veral. Even better if I could supplant you and earn my rightful place as the Ahanvala upon Veral’s termination. He would not allow it, but it was satisfying watching your grief and sadness grow and his own struggles to contain his need to be in your presence.”
“And the droid?” Terri gasped.
Malraha chuffed.
“I excelled in robotics in my training. I did not get the advanced training that Veral and Larth and many others of our house received, but I had a particular talent with them that I gained further programming for. Because the low-level programming I received was considered inconsequential, it was not marked on my records. I chose to keep it a secret in case I needed to. I reprogrammed the droid as I pretended to set it up for sparring. I had to deflect attention away from me, but I was certain that it would destroy you.”
“You were wrong,” Terri choked out a laugh around the strangling grip.
The female’s eyes narrowed.
“So it seems. You are harder to kill than I gave you credit for. Not even the hathals I put into your offspring’s bed succeeded. I did not have time left. The registrar had arrived, and it would only be a matter of time before you left.”
“You should have just let us leave. You never would have seen us again,” Terri managed through gasps for air.
“That would not secure my vengeance and the vengeance of my father. The entire house supported Harahna, and you honored her by naming your offspring after her. The house needs to die with you! It is unfortunate that Veral will not receive his deserved shame, but I will be satisfied with this.”
“Malraha… what have you done?”